Railroad Activity Timeline

since 1850

From To Group Activity by Group (scroll down to see table sorted by year)
1905 1918 Railroad Argentine Central
1924 1963 Railroad North Western Refrigerator Line
1856 1970 Railroads Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
1883 1970 Railroad Northern Pacific Railway
1905 1970 Railroad Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway
1893 1970 Railroad Great Northern Railway 
1971   Railroad Amtrak Commenced operations on 1/05/1971
1859 1972 Railroads Chicago and North Western Transportation Company
1847 1980 Railroads Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
1898 1981 Railroad Colorado and Southern Railway
1851 1982 Railroads Missouri Pacific Railroad
1903 1983 Railroad Western Pacific Railroad
1870 1988 Railroad Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
1870 1988 Railroad Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad
1970 1995 Railroad Burlington Northern (March)
1859 1995 Railroads Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
1865 1996 Railroad Southern Pacific Transportation Company
1862 - Railroads Union Pacific Railroad
1949 - Yard North Yard (D&RGW)
1870 - Yard Golden Yard (C&S)
1870 - Yard 40th Street Yard (UP)
1900 1985 Yard 15th - 19th Street Yard (C&S)
1882 - Yard 38th Street Yard (CB&Q)
1879 1985 Yard 36th Street Yard (UP)
1871 1985 Yard 6th -11th Street Yard (D&RGW)
1882 - Yard 23rd Street Coach Yard (C&S; CB&Q; ATSF)
1985   Note BN's Denver Intermodal Terminal Opened
1914 1918 Note 25,500 USRA 50-ton twin bay hoppers built during WW1
1918   Note AAR (American Railway Ass) formed
1918   Note USRA approves a flatcar design - 42' (55-ton)
1926   Note ARA designed a 41'3" 4 bay 70-ton hopper car; 14,000 built
1920 1933 Important Prohibition in the United States
1930   Note 70-ton ore car built by Pressed Steel Car Co.
1934   Note AAR (Ass of American Railroads) is formed
1934   Note 70-ton hoppers changed from 4 to 3 bay cars
1939 1945 History WW II
1941   Note AAR recommends 3 flatcar designs - 53'6" (50-ton & 70-ton) & 50' (70-ton)
1954   Note 19,000 gal 70 ton tankcar introduced
1955   Note Trailer Train created by PRR
1958   Note CB&Q  started to update from Boxcar red to Chinese Red
1960   Note SP, ATSF & UP joined Trailer Train
1963   Note DRGW joined Trailer Train
1960   Note Tri-level automobile racks for 85' flatcars introduced
1960   Note Standard freight car now 50' long & 70 tons capacity
1961   Note The use of a single black, seven-inch stripe was first used on D&RGW locomotives in 1961.
1964   Note 17' high 10' wide 87' long Hi-cube boxcars (with NO running boards) introduced
1966   Note New cars could be constructed without running boards
1968   Note Roller-bearing trucks required on all new equipment
1969   Note ACF® Industries built general-purpose, single-compartment, 23,500 gallon, insulated, coiled, non-pressurized tank car introdced
1973   Note Enclosed Tri-level automobile racks for 85' flatcars introduced
1975   Note First-generation rotary dump gondola built 1975
1985   Note 4000 CUFT twin-tub Bethgon Coalporter built 1985.  
1986   Note Trinity 25,500 gal, insulated, general-purpose design introduced
1989   Note BN America started operations
1990s   Note Golden West Service started
1998 - Note Ferromex (Ferrocarril Mexicano) Railway
1925 1960 Important Cabooses left: 1925=34,000; 1937=32,000; 1950=25,000; 1960=18,000; 1985=12,000
1881 1951 Train San Juan Express, Alamosa-Durango, #115 & 116
1882 1981 Train Silverton, Durango-Silverton, #461 & 462
1888 1967 Train C&S Passenger Service
1906 1946 Train Scenic Limited, Denver-Salt Lake City (via Royal Gorge), #1 & 2
1936 1971 Train City of Denver (train) UP
1936 1956 Train Denver Zephyr (train)
1936 1939 Train RG Mountaineer, Denver-Grand Junction-Montrose, #19 & 20
1937 1940 Train Shavano, Salida-Gunnison, #315 & 316
1939 1966 Train Rocky Mountain Rocket (train) RI
1939 1949 Train The Exposition Flyer (train) - replaced by the California Zephyr
1940 2009 Train Ski Train, Denver-Winter Park
1940 1967 Train Texas Zephyr (Train)
1941 1967 Train Prospector, Denver-Salt Lake City & Ogden, #'s7 & 8
1942 1971 Train Colorado Eagle (train) MP
1946 1971 Train City of St. Louis (train) UP
1946 1967 Train Royal Gorge, Denver-Grand Junction (via Royal Gorge), #1 & 2
1949 1971 Train California Zephyr (train)
1954 1968 Train Yampa Valley, Denver-Craig, #'s9 & 10
1971 1983 Train Rio Grande Zephyr (train)
1925 1960 Important Cabooses left: 1925=34,000; 1937=32,000; 1950=25,000; 1960=18,000; 1985=12,000
1900 1959 Loco Rhode Island, Richmond, Brooks & Baldwin 2-8-0 (C&S)
1906 1946 Loco Alco & Baldwin 0-6-0 Switchers (C&S)
1911 1959 Loco Baldwin 4-6-2 (C&S)
1919 1959 Loco Baldwin USRA 2-10-2 (C&S)
1939 1946 Loco Baldwin VO1000
1940 1968 Loco EMD E-5 A&B (C&S) 
1941 Pre 1982 Loco Alco S-2 (D&RGW)
1941 Pre 1982 Loco EMD NW2 (D&RGW)
1942 Pre 1982 Loco EMD FT (D&RGW)
1946 1950 Loco Alco RS2 Loco
1946 Pre 1982 Loco EMD F3 (D&RGW)
1947 Pre 1982 Loco Alco PA-1  (D&RGW)
1947 1967 Loco EMD F-3 (C&S) 
1947 1983 Loco EMD NW-2 (C&S) 
1948 Pre 1982 Loco FM H10-44 (D&RGW)
1948 Pre 1982 Loco FM H15-44 (D&RGW)
1949 Pre 1982 Loco EMD F7 (D&RGW)
1950 1956 Loco Alco RS3 Loco (D&RGW)
1950 1968 Loco EMD F-7 (C&S) 
1950 - Loco EMD GP7 Loco (D&RGW)
1953 1983 Loco EMD SD7 (C&S) 
1953 - Loco EMD SD7 Loco (D&RGW)
1955 Pre 1982 Loco EMD F9 (D&RGW)
1955 Pre 1982 Loco EMD GP9 (D&RGW)
1956 - Loco EMD SD9 (C&S) 
1957 - Loco EMD SD9 Loco (D&RGW)
1958 1963 Loco EMD SD24 Loco (ATSF 80; CB&Q 16; SOU 48; UP 75)
1959 - Loco EMD SW-1200 (C&S) 
1960 Loco GE U25B (CBQ)
1961 1963 EMD GP30 Loco (D&RGW)
1963 ? Loco Alco C-420 "Century" loco introduced
1963 1965 Loco EMD GP35 Loco (D&RGW)
1963 Loco GE U25C (CBQ)
1964 1996 Loco EMD SW1000/1200 (D&RGW)
1965 1971 Loco EMD SD45 Loco (D&RGW)
1966 - Loco EMD GP40 Loco (D&RGW)
1966 Denver's RailRoads cut off date
1967 1999 Loco EMD FP45 Loco
1967 1987 Loco EMD SD40 (C&S) 
1967 1982+ Loco EMD SD45 Loco (D&RGW)
1968 1971 Loco EMD F45 Loco
1968 1987 Loco GE U30C (C&S) 
1969   Loco EMD DD40AX introduced
1972 1986 Loco EMD GP40-2 Loco (D&RGW)
1972 - Loco EMD SD40-2 Loco introduced
1972 - Loco EMD SD45-2 Loco  introduced
1973 1978 Loco EMD SD26 Loco
1974 1975 Loco EMD SD40T-2 Loco (D&RGW)
1976 1992 Loco EMD F40PH Loco (Amtrak)
1976   Loco GE C30-7 Loco
1981 1986 Loco EMD SD50 Loco (D&RGW)
1984 1995 Loco EMD SD60 Loco
1987 1992 Loco GE Dash 8-40C Loco
1990 1994 Loco GE Dash 8-40CW Loco
1992 - Loco EMD SD70 Loco
1925 1960 Important Cabooses left: 1925=34,000; 1937=32,000; 1950=25,000; 1960=18,000; 1985=12,000
1953   Trailers SP 28' "Truck Service" piggybacks  - 2 trailers per flatcar
1957   Trailers 40' trailers allowed on highways
1957   Trailers 85' flatcars were introduced
1964   Trailers 89' flatcars were introduced
1966   Note Roof walks not included on new equipment after 10/66 
1967 1977 Trailers ACI (Automatic Car ID) plate introduced - abandoned 
1974   Note Removal of all roof walks 
1977 04-Jun-05 Trailers Fuel Foilers introduced
1981   Trailers 45' Trailers & Containers introduced
1981   Trailers Double stack well cars introduced
1981 1981-84 Trailers SP & SeaLand introduced Double stack well cars 
1985   Note BN's Denver Intermodal Terminal Opened
1985   Trailers Gunderson TwinStack Introduced
1985   Trailers 48' Trailers & Containers introduced
1985   Trailers Thrall Lo-Pac 2000 sold to APL and Maersk (May)
1985   Trailers 48' Trailers & Containers introduced
1985   Trailers TwinStack Introduced
1986   Trailers Thrall Lo-Pac II 40/48' wells introduced
1988   Trailers Gunderson Maxi-Stack I introduced
1989   Trailers Lo-Pac II 48' wells introduced
1989   Trailers Gunderson Maxi-Stack III well car introduced with all 48' well cars
1991   Trailers Husky- Stacks delivered to TTX & BN
1991   Trailers Single unit LocPac II (Walthers) introduced
1991   Trailers 53' Trailers/Containers introduced
1991   Trailers LocPac II (Walthers) introduced

From To Group Activity by Year
1847 1980 Railroads Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
1851 1982 Railroads Missouri Pacific Railroad
1856 1970 Railroads Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
1859 1972 Railroads Chicago and North Western Transportation Company
1859 1995 Railroads Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
1862 - Railroads Union Pacific Railroad
1865 1996 Railroad Southern Pacific Transportation Company
1870 1988 Railroad Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad
1870 1988 Railroad Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad
1870 - Yard Golden Yard (C&S)
1870 - Yard 40th Street Yard (UP)
1871 1985 Yard 6th -11th Street Yard (D&RGW)
1879 1985 Yard 36th Street Yard (UP)
1881 1951 Train San Juan Express, Alamosa-Durango, #115 & 116
1882 - Yard 38th Street Yard (CB&Q)
1882 - Yard 23rd Street Coach Yard (C&S; CB&Q; ATSF)
1882 1981 Train Silverton, Durango-Silverton, #461 & 462
1883 1970 Railroad Northern Pacific Railway
1888 1967 Train C&S Passenger Service
1893 1970 Railroad Great Northern Railway 
1898 1981 Railroad Colorado and Southern Railway
1900 1985 Yard 15th - 19th Street Yard (C&S)
1900 1959 Loco Rhode Island, Richmond, Brooks & Baldwin 2-8-0 (C&S)
1903 1983 Railroad Western Pacific Railroad
1905 1918 Railroad Argentine Central
1905 1970 Railroad Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway
1906 1946 Train Scenic Limited, Denver-Salt Lake City (via Royal Gorge), #1 & 2
1906 1946 Loco Alco & Baldwin 0-6-0 Switchers (C&S)
1911 1959 Loco Baldwin 4-6-2 (C&S)
1914 1918 Note 25,500 USRA 50-ton twin bay hoppers built during WW1
1918   Note AAR (American Railway Ass) formed
1918   Note USRA approves a flatcar design - 42' (55-ton)
1919 1959 Loco Baldwin USRA 2-10-2 (C&S)
1920 1933 Important Prohibition in the United States
1924 1963 Railroad North Western Refrigerator Line
1925 1960 Important Cabooses left: 1925=34,000; 1937=32,000; 1950=25,000; 1960=18,000; 1985=12,000
1926   Note ARA designed a 41'3" 4 bay 70-ton hopper car; 14,000 built
1930   Note 70-ton ore car built by Pressed Steel Car Co.
1934   Note AAR (Ass of American Railroads) is formed
1934   Note 70-ton hoppers changed from 4 to 3 bay cars
1936 1971 Train City of Denver (train) UP
1936 1956 Train Denver Zephyr (train)
1936 1939 Train RG Mountaineer, Denver-Grand Junction-Montrose, #19 & 20
1937 1940 Train Shavano, Salida-Gunnison, #315 & 316
1939 1942 History WW II
1939 1966 Train Rocky Mountain Rocket (train) RI
1939 1949 Train The Exposition Flyer (train) - replaced by the California Zephyr
1939 1946 Loco Baldwin VO1000
1940 2009 Train Ski Train, Denver-Winter Park
1940 1967 Train Texas Zephyr (Train)
1940 1968 Loco EMD E-5 A&B (C&S) 
1941   Note AAR recommends 3 flatcar designs - 53'6" (50-ton & 70-ton) & 50' (70-ton)
1941 1967 Train Prospector, Denver-Salt Lake City & Ogden, #'s7 & 8
1941 Pre 1982 Loco Alco S-2 (D&RGW)
1941 Pre 1982 Loco EMD NW2 (D&RGW)
1942 1971 Train Colorado Eagle (train) MP
1942 Pre 1982 Loco EMD FT (D&RGW)
1946 1971 Train City of St. Louis (train) UP
1946 1967 Train Royal Gorge, Denver-Grand Junction (via Royal Gorge), #1 & 2
1946 1950 Loco Alco RS2 Loco
1946 Pre 1982 Loco EMD F3 (D&RGW)
1947 Pre 1982 Loco Alco PA-1  (D&RGW)
1947 1967 Loco EMD F-3 (C&S) 
1947 1983 Loco EMD NW-2 (C&S) 
1948 Pre 1982 Loco FM H10-44 (D&RGW)
1948 Pre 1982 Loco FM H15-44 (D&RGW)
1949 - Yard North Yard (D&RGW)
1949 1971 Train California Zephyr (train)
1949 Pre 1982 Loco EMD F7 (D&RGW)
1950 1956 Loco Alco RS3 Loco (D&RGW)
1950 1968 Loco EMD F-7 (C&S) 
1950 - Loco EMD GP7 Loco (D&RGW)
1953 1983 Loco EMD SD7 (C&S) 
1953 - Loco EMD SD7 Loco (D&RGW)
1953   Trailers SP 28' "Truck Service" piggybacks  - 2 trailers per flatcar
1954   Note 19,000 gal 70 ton tankcar introduced
1954 1968 Train Yampa Valley, Denver-Craig, #'s9 & 10
1955   Note Trailer Train created by PRR
1955 Pre 1982 Loco EMD F9 (D&RGW)
1955 Pre 1982 Loco EMD GP9 (D&RGW)
1956 - Loco EMD SD9 (C&S) 
1957 - Loco EMD SD9 Loco (D&RGW)
1957   Trailers 40' trailers allowed on highways
1957   Trailers 85' flatcars were introduced
1958   Note CB&Q  started to update from Boxcar red to Chinese Red
1958 1963 Loco EMD SD24 Loco (ATSF 80; CB&Q 16; SOU 48; UP 75)
1959 - Loco EMD SW-1200 (C&S) 
1960   Note SP, ATSF & UP joined Trailer Train
1960   Note Tri-level automobile racks for 85' flatcars introduced
1960   Note Standard freight car now 50' long & 70 tons capacity
1961   Note The use of a single black, seven-inch stripe was first used on D&RGW locomotives in 1961. The first units with this scheme, the A-B-B-A set of passenger F3s (D&RGW 5521, 5522, 5523, 5524) assigned to the California Zephyr, were completed in mid-April 1961.
1961 1963 Loco EMD GP30 Loco (D&RGW)
1963   Note DRGW joined Trailer Train
1963 ? Loco Alco C-420 "Century" loco introduced
1963 1965 Loco EMD GP35 Loco (D&RGW)
1964   Note 17' high 10' wide 87' long Hi-cube boxcars (with NO running boards) introduced
1964 1996 Loco EMD SW1000/1200 (D&RGW)
1964   Trailers 89' flatcars were introduced
1965 1971 Loco EMD SD45 Loco (D&RGW)
1966   Note New cars could be constructed without running boards
1966 - Loco EMD GP40 Loco (D&RGW)
1966   Note Roof walks not included on new equipment after 10/66 
1967 1999 Loco EMD FP45 Loco
1967 1987 Loco EMD SD40 (C&S) 
1967 1982+ Loco EMD SD45 Loco (D&RGW)
1967 1977 Trailers ACI (Automatic Car ID) plate introduced - abandoned 
1968   Note Roller-bearing trucks required on all new equipment
1968 1971 Loco EMD F45 Loco
1968 1987 Loco GE U30C (C&S) 
1969   Note ACF® Industries built general-purpose, single-compartment, 23,500 gallon, insulated, coiled, non-pressurized tank car introdced
1969   Loco EMD DD40AX introduced
1970 1995 Railroad Burlington Northern (March)
1971   Railroad Amtrak Commenced operations on 1/05/1971
1971 1983 Train Rio Grande Zephyr (train)
1972 1986 Loco EMD GP40-2 Loco (D&RGW)
1972 - Loco EMD SD40-2 Loco introduced
1972 - Loco EMD SD45-2 Loco  introduced
1973   Note Enclosed Tri-level automobile racks for 85' flatcars introduced
1973 1978 Loco EMD SD26 Loco
1974 1975 Loco EMD SD40T-2 Loco (D&RGW)
1974   Note Removal of all roof walks 
1975   Note First-generation rotary dump gondola built 1975
1976 1992 Loco EMD F40PH Loco (Amtrak)
1976   Loco GE C30-7 Loco
1977 04-Jun-05 Trailers Fuel Foilers introduced
1981 1986 Loco EMD SD50 Loco (D&RGW)
1981   Trailers 45' Trailers & Containers introduced
1981   Trailers Double stack well cars introduced
1981 1981-84 Trailers SP & SeaLand introduced Double stack well cars 
1984 1995 Loco EMD SD60 Loco
1985   Note BN's Denver Intermodal Terminal Opened
1985   Note 4000 CUFT twin-tub Bethgon Coalporter built 1985.  
1985   Note BN's Denver Intermodal Terminal Opened
1985   Trailers Gunderson TwinStack Introduced
1985   Trailers 48' Trailers & Containers introduced
1985   Trailers Thrall Lo-Pac 2000 sold to APL and Maersk (May)
1985   Trailers 48' Trailers & Containers introduced
1985   Trailers TwinStack Introduced
1986   Note Trinity 25,500 gal, insulated, general-purpose design introduced
1986   Trailers Thrall Lo-Pac II 40/48' wells introduced
1987 1992 Loco GE Dash 8-40C Loco
1988   Trailers Gunderson Maxi-Stack I introduced
1989   Note BN America started operations
1989   Trailers Lo-Pac II 48' wells introduced
1989   Trailers Gunderson Maxi-Stack III well car introduced with all 48' well cars
1990 1994 Loco GE Dash 8-40CW Loco
1991   Trailers Husky- Stacks delivered to TTX & BN
1991   Trailers Single unit LocPac II (Walthers) introduced
1991   Trailers 53' Trailers/Containers introduced
1991   Trailers LocPac II (Walthers) introduced
1992 - Loco EMD SD70 Loco
1998 - Note Ferromex (Ferrocarril Mexicano) Railway
1990s   Note Golden West Service started